quid

¹ American  

[kwid] / kwɪd /

noun

1. a portion of something, especially tobacco, that is to be chewed but not swallowed.

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quid ² American  

[kwid] / kwɪd /

noun

quid plural

1. British Informal. one pound sterling.

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quid ¹ British  

/ kwɪd /

noun

1. slang one pound sterling

2. slang in a very favourable or advantageous position

3. slang mentally subnormal

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quid ² British  

/ kwɪd /

noun

1. a piece of tobacco, suitable for chewing

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• quid
  plural

Etymology

Origin of quid¹

First recorded in 1720–30; dialectal variant of cud

Origin of quid²

First recorded in 1680–90; origin uncertain

Explanation

A quid is a hunk or wad of something you chew. I don't recommend shoving a quid of gum in your mouth right before you give your speech. Quid, defined in the 1720s as "a portion suitable to be chewed or held in the mouth," shares a source with cud, as in what a cow chews. The Old English root of both is cudu, "gum or resin." Quid is also British slang for one pound sterling, which may derive from the Latin word meaning "that which is." Order fish and chips in a London pub and you may hear, "That'll be six quid, mate."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

quid

"Sometimes you are asked to put money into someone's bank account and there's a lot of pressure there. You can't just put a few quid in or you'll seem tight."

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

It’s a quid pro quo dating back to 1993.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

Since the Cold War, other countries that maintained their holdings of dollars and U.S. securities in no small part for security reasons, reflecting an implicit quid pro quo for America’s defense shield.

From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026

District Judge Katherine Menendez, presiding over Minnesota’s request to end what locals officials have called a federal occupation, seemed to recognize the quid pro quo at play.

From Salon ● Jan. 28, 2026

“Only because Shakespeare said it first. Moving on. How are you dauntless scribes doing on your special assignment? The ‘Quo quid vis fieri?’ project?”

From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein